Puzzle.



E. D. SMITH.

PUZZLE.

APPLICATION IILED SEPT. 25 1911.

Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

wwwwow EARL ID. SMITH, OF DELPHI, INDIANA.

PUZZLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

Application filed September 25, 1911. Serial No. 651,150.

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, EARL D. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residingat Delphi, in the county of Carroll, State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in puzzles.

An object of this invention is the provision of a puzzle which employs the use of a pair of interlocking links through which is passed a member provided with heads at its opposite ends, and which is adapted to be inserted through one of the loops of the interlocking links, and which may be removed therefrom when the said links are turned to a certain position.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a puzzle which will be comparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, reliable and efficient in use and readily operated.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a puzzle which will require considerable skill and dexterity in solving.

\Vith the above and other objects in view, this invention resides in the novel features of construction, formations, cou'ibinations and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved puzzle. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a top plan view illustrating the first step necessary in solving, and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating the second step prior to solving.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by similar characters of reference, the numeral 10 designates generally my improved puzzle which comprises a plurality of links 11 and a removable member 12 which consists of a base 13 and a head 14 connected by a shank 15.

As shown in the drawing the links 11 are formed from a single piece of material bent to produce a pair of loops 16 and 17, the latter of which are formed at the meeting terminals of the material and one of these loops 17 surrounds the adjacent loop 16 of the other link. The removable member 12 is preferably in the form of a collar button with the base engaging the lower sides of the loop 16 through which the loop 17 is extended and the head thereof engaging the opposite sides of this loop. It will be readily seen that the head 14 of the member 12 is of a width slightly greater than the width of the loop and slightly less than the length thereof. It will be readily seen when the collar button is engaged within the said loop that it will be diflicult to remove the same therefrom, and the removal of the said button constitutes the solution of the puzzle.

In solving the puzzle, or in removing the button from engagement with the loop 16, the end loops 1(3 and 17 are grasped by the fingers and the outer loop 16 is moved to the position illustrated in Fig. 3. In moving the link to this position it is necessary to see that the base 13 of the member 12 is engaged between the opposite sides of the link at the juncture of the loops, and if such the ease, this link can be very readily moved to the position shown in Fig. 4 and when the same is moved slightly upward, the button may be turned at a slight angle and the head slipped through the loop 16.

The previous disclosures taken in con neetion with the accompanying drawing illustrate one embodiment of my invention, but it is to be understood that slight variations in the detail of construction can be resorted to in the scope of the appended claims without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

From the foregoing it will be manifest that a puzzle of the nature described is provided which will be comparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, which will 'afl'm'd considerable amusement to the person possessing the same, and which will require considerable dexterity in solving.

Having thus fully described this invention whatI claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

1. A puzzle con'iprising a plurality of interlocking links, and a removable member extending through said interlocked links, said removable member comprising a shank which extends through one of said links, a head formed on one end of the shank to contact with one side of the link and a base formed upon the opposite end of the shank to contact with the opposite side the link.

'2. A puzzle comprising a plurality of links each of which comprises a pair of loops, two of said loopsbeing interlocking, a shank passing through one of the interlocked loops, a head formed upon one end of the shank, and a base formed upon the opposite end thereof.

8. A puzzle comprising a plurality of links, each of said links being bent to produce a pair of loops, the opposite sides of the said links being spaced apart atthe juncture of the loops, two of said loops being interlocked, a shank passing through one of the interlocked loops, a head formed upon one end of the shank, said head being greater in diameter than the width of the loops and less in diameter than the length of the loops, and a base formed upon the other end of the shank and movable between the sides of one link between the loops, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

EARL D. SMITH. lVitnesses GEO. H. CHANDLEE, MARIE L. SULLIVAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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